This invention relates generally to fluid filters, and more specifically to an apparatus for removal of relatively fine solid particles from a fluid such as, typically, industrial waste slurries.
Special difficulties have attended the disposal or treatment of waste water or other liquids in industries such as plating food manufacturing or refining, chemicals producing, stonecutting, and lens grinding. Separate devices have heretofore been employed for filtration of the waste slurries and for compaction and dehydration of the filter cake. Some industrial waste liquids also require sedimentation apparatus. As a consequence, prohibitive expenses have been necessary for installation, operation and maintenance of such separate processing equipment. Large space requirements of the conventional equipment has also been a serious problem.